Play eliminative recording mechanism



Aug. M, 1945;; o, @Amnss PLAY ELIMINATIVE REC-ORDING MCHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1942 5 Sheetsf-Sheet Al aNvENToR ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1945.

o. s. cARLlss 2,382,132

PLAY ELIMINATIVE RECORDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2', 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug, 149 1945e o. s. cARLlss PLAY ELIMINATIVE RECORDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENSTOR BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945 PLAY ELIMINATIVE RECORDING MECHANISM Oswald S. Carliss, Fairfield, Conn., assigner, by mesne assignments, to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company', Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 2, 1942, Serial No. 429,290

(Cl 21M-5.4)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for setting up and striking an impression from movable type characters adaptedr to be differently positioned in accordance with diierent factors of incidence corresponding to such type characters, as for instance, diierent magnitudes of weight that may be registered by the load counterbalancing action of a weighing sca1e or other force measur-V ing instrument, y

Movable type carriers for this purpose have formerly been employed in the form of Wheels. or wheel segments pivoted to swing through a range of positions for selectively presenting their carried type opposite a printing platen. Positions to which such a segment may move for so position'- ing its type have formerly been determinedV by a 4feeler element caused. to travel in unison with the type segment and caused while so traveling to sense graduated stops or the like and thereby become arrested in a correct position for printing. The feeler is commonly urged against a' stepped:v wheel periphery by resilient means.

One object of the present improvements is to eliminate all possibility of certain play or lost motion in mechanism for operatively coupling together such type segment and such feeler element that has formerly resulted from wear or froml the necessarily free operating fit of relatively movable parts.

Another object is better to steady the type character and hold it in accurate alignment while a printed impression is being struckl therefrom.v

motivating in designed sequence both the type.

segment and the impression striker and to locate such power mechanism relatively closer to the improvedv impression striker and relatively more remo-te from the feeler element.

A still further object is to link operatively toment of the invention in which description refence is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a complete type positionin'g. and impression striking mechanism incorporating theA present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a view looking at Fig. 1 in the direction ofthe arrows' .from the section planes 2 2.

Fig. 3 is a' fragmentary view of certain parts in Fig. 2 viewed in the direction ofV the arrows fromv the section` plane 3 3.

Fig. 41s a plan view of the feeler elements showing associated parts in section on the' plane 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5y is anenlarged fragmentary view taken in section onv the plane 5-5 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a view drawn on the same enlarged scale as Fig. 5 taken in section on the'plane 6-6 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is` a fragmentary view on the same enlarged scale taken in section on the plane 1--1 in Fig. l looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8V is an enlarged view taken in section on pla-ne 8-8 in- Fig. 1 look-ing in the. direction' of the arrows.

The recording mechanism as a whole is divided into two main sections or sets of. parts of whichl the upper section comprises the type registering mechanism and the lower section,

' considerably spaced therefrom, comprises the impression striking mechanism andincludes a power activatedhammer-like printing platen.

The type registering mechanismk includes one or more horizontal feeler elements indicated as a whole by Il) mounted for free longitudinal slidgether the relatively remote feeler element and power mechanism so that a simple push-pull rod by performing simple lengthwise movement may suice to transmit the action of the power mechanism t`o the feeler element.

The foregoing andk other objectsl of the present improvements will become .clearer from thel following description of an illustrative embodiing movementv through oversize clearance apertures 9 in the main verticalv frame plate Il. heads i9 of these feeler elements are guided Slidinglyf in horizontally spaced bearings provided in `part by an upper horizontal bar l2 and a lower corresponding bar I3, which bars are securedV by bolts t4 to bracket I5' which is mounted by bolts I6y on the frame plate l l.. Feeler rod l0 is a composite member consisting, of a. long round threaded rod` H assembled in end-to-end relation to feeler head I9 by a cross pin- I8. holding the end ofV rod I'l' within a snug. fitting terminal socket in theA feeler head. Head I9 may be square in cross section at4 its extremeV left or sensing end in Figs. 1 and@ thus providing a relatively thin blade 20- extending between side flanges 26 and which is adapted. tol be thrust into sensing contact with some one of the stops 2|, 2'2... These stops constitute graduated steps on the periphery of one They or more wheels 23 and 24 whose rotary position may be determined by the load counterbalancing mechanism of a weighing scale as is more fully disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,173,746 granted to G. E. Weist. Separator partitions 24 maintain the feeler heads i9 properly spaced laterally from each other so that the notched periphery of each wheel 23, 24 is accurately straddled by the side flanges 26 as the blade 20 advances into contact with some wheel step, as 2|.

Rods |1 are threaded for a part of their length from the right end thereof in Figs. l, 4 and 6 and each such rod carries slidably mounted on its threaded portion a bar-like gear` rack 3D having an unthreaded hole lengthwise therethrough providing a snug slip llt on the outside diameter of the rod threads. Rack 30 is held in different adjusted positions lengthwise of rod |1 by means of a thrust nut 3| at its left end and a thrust nut 32 at its right end. Nuts 3| and 32 are not alone relied upon to keep the rack from rotating with respect to the rod as will be apparent hereinafter.

The teeth of each of racks 30 mesh with a partially toothed gear wheel 33 which flanks and is made fast to a type carrying segment 34. Each such segment, of which four are shown in the drawings, carries type characters 35 projecting from its downward disposed periphery and by means of one or more rivets 36 is fixed to gear wheel 33 so that each type segment swings always in unison with its gear wheel about a common shaft 31. Shaft 31 is supported by and spans the space between the side walls of an upper frame casting 40 mounted detachably upon the main vertical frame plate by means of bolts (not shown). The four type segments shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 operate side-by-side individually and independently of each other, a long spacer collar 4| taking up the empty room at the left of the gear wheels 33 in Fig. 2, which collar may be reduced in length to admit any additional number of type segments which it may be desired to add to the assembly. End thrust is provided by spacer collar 4| and by a shorter spacer collar 42 and by the intermediate spacer washers 43 along shaft 31 as best shown in Fig. 5 and with sufficient looseness to permit free independent swinging movement of each gear wheel and type segment upon shaft 31.

Gear racks 30 are held downward and also held from lateral displacement in their mesh with gear wheels 33 by means of freely turnable rollers 44 each having a head flange 45 interposed between and flanking the flat sided surfaces of adjacent racks in a manner to confine the racks purely to lengthwise movement without exerting any friction in opposition thereto while at the same time preventing turning of the racks about the axis of rod I1. Guide rollers 44 are individually free to turn on a shaft 48 which is supported by and spans the space between the said left and right Walls of the upper frame casting 40. Shaft 4B is equipped with suitable collars 49 and 50 for taking the axial thrust of rollers 44.

Each rod I1 of the feeler elements l0 carries xedly thereon a spur-like propelled lug 5| in whose path of travel lengthwise with rod |1 there oscillates the propelling crossrod 52 of a swingable bail-like structure which includes two depending spaced arms 53 iixed respectively to opposite ends of the cross rod 52 and also fixed on a common rocker shaft 54. `Like shafts 31 and 48, shaft 54 is supported by and between the side walls of frame casting 4l).

According to the present improvements each gear wheel 33 is directly and constantly urged counterclockwise in Figs. l and 6 by the pull of a long extension spring coil 55 one of whose ends catches into a hole 56 through wheel 33 and the other of Whose ends is attached to a frame lug 51 rigid with casting 4D or plate il. Spring coil 55 extends lengthwise alongside feeler element lll in which direction there is ample room for a maximum length of spring. Thus normally the cross rod 52, and at other times the stepped periphery of a notched wheel 23 or 24, serves to limit movement of each feeler i0 toward the left in Fig. 1 under the urge of spring 55. Thus is determined the angular position of type segments 34 which are thus controlled so as to present any one of the type characters 35 in the lowest or printing position `vertically under shaft 31 so that an impression or record can be struck from that particular type character. The record so struck will thus be seen to accord with the longitudinal position of feeler l0.

For releasing spur lug 5| and thereby feeler element lll to the constant pull of spring 55 acting through the gear teeth on wheel 33 and rack 30, the cross rod 52 is rst swung toward the left in Fig. 1 and is later swung back to its original position shown in Fig. 1 to retract the feeler from the stepped disc after the printed record has been made. This is accomplished by back and forth turning of shaft 54 in timed relation to striking an impression from the type characters 35. For being so turned rocker shaft 54 extends well to the right of the frame casting 4D, as best shown in Fig. 2, and thereat carries fixed upon it the short crank arm 6D. Arm 60 is pivotally coupled at 6| to the rod-like link 62 whose lower end is pivotally coupled at 63 to a bell crank lever 64. Lever 54 is rotatably carried on a shaft 65 supported in the spaced side walls of a bearing bracket 69 which may be mounted as a detachable unit upon the main vertical printing plate by means of bolts (not shown). Supported rotatably in the same bearing bracket 69 there is a cam shaft 10 to which is fixed a cam 1| whose periphery is followed by a roller 12 carried by the aforesaid bell crank lever 64.

Cam shaft 10 also carries fixed thereon at least one other cam 13 whose periphery is followed by a roller 14 carried at the end of a downward extending arm 15 which is fixed to the protruding end of a hammer shaft 16. This shaft is journaled in a separate bracket 11 detachably mounted on the main vertical' frame plate by bolts (not shown). The printing hammer includes a platen bar 18 supported at the free end of a double armed bail-like structure 19 fixed on shaft 16 to swing in unison with the follower arm 15. Still another depending arm 8D is fixed on shaft 16 and is constantly urged in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 1 by a long extension spring whose anchored end engages a hook 82 held adjustably on the bed bracket 84 by nuts 83. Bracket 84 is detachably mounted on frame plate by bolts (not shown) and carries horizontal guideways 85 and 86 for directing and supporting a record blank, such as a cardboard ticket or paper tape, in proper position between the type segments 34 and the hammer platen 18 to receive a printed impression from the type.

An inked ribbon traveling from one to the other of spools 9| and 32 is supported between the record blank and the type characters 35, and if desired, may be fed around guide rollers 93, 94 in alternately reverse directions by suitable mecharcaica feedingrtravel of ribbon 90 when actuated. by.

somey ribbon carried catch member in. aaconventional manner; l y

`Cam shaft lllv is poweredby rneansofa large spur gear '18 fixed thereonand driven bya pinion fixed oni ashaftlill. journaled inthe .side walls of bracket t. Also vfixed onshaft. llll is the worm-wheel y W2 driven by a worm. H13r on the shaft f 104 of anlelectric powerfmotor.. 105 which may be bolted again-st` the outer face of main frame plate ll. The latter is apertured to pass the motor shaft |04.

At |06 there are represented in general some of the parts of an electromechanical cycle stop power mechanism. These parts cooperate between motor shaft |55 and a cycle stop pin Ill'l carried by cam 13, to drive the cam shaft 'l0 one complete revolution counterclockwise from its position shown in Fig. 1 and then to stop the rotation of shaft lll and cam 'i3 automatically in the position from which it started to rotate. Fuller details of a suitable cycle stop power mechanism for this purpose are disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 350,185, now U. S. Patent No, 2,370,636. A cradle bracket itil is detachably mounted on the main frame plate Ii by bolts (not shown) to afford bearing support for the extreme right end of motor shaft 104 in Fig. i.

r`The functions of the aforedescribed parts which are more particularly concerned with the present invention are mentioned in the following description of the recording apparatus as a whole. It is assumed, for example, that a lo-ad placed on the weighing platform of a pendulum scale (notshown) incorporating in its weight indicating or registering mechanism the stepped wheels such as 23, 24 has swung such wheels to a rotative position corresponding tothe weight of the load. In such position a proper step, as 2l, of each wheel stands stationed in the path of movement of the feeler head I9 toward the'left in Fig. 1. Through suitable remote electrical control, of which an eX- ample is disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 350,185,y electric motor m5 becomes energized and proceeds to rotate the cam shaft 'l counterclockwise in Fig. 1 through reduction gear- Y ing of the cyclic stop mechanism |55.

The consequent rotation of cam 'H rst permits bell crank 54 to swing clockwise in Fig. 3 (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) under the urge of spring 55 as transmitted thereto through gear wheel 33, rack 30, rod IG, spur 5l, crossrod 52, arms 53 and shaft 511. The ensuing lengthwise'travel of the feeler head I9 toward the left in Fig. 1 will con tinue until the leading edge of blade 2li is arrested by stop 2|. Thereafter, roller 14 will be forced abruptly into the notch in cam 13 by the pull of spring 8l on arm B. This swings platen 18 smartly upward to force a record blank, which may be lodged in and span the space between guides 35 and 86, against the inked ribbon Si). This causes an impression to be recorded from whatever type character 35 on segment 34 occupies the printing position as determined by the extent of movement of the feeler element lli toward the left in Fig. l.

Continued running of motor |95 gradually withdraws feeler element Hl toward the right in Fig. 1 and simultaneously retracts the hammer arm 19 with its carried platen 78 in a clockwise direction as rollers '12 and 14, respectively, ride onto the high portions of their respective cams H and .1.3.A Ultimatelythe parts: continueto.` rotate until they` have beenl restoredv to. the! same Aor ,an

equivalent position'as shown in Figs. landv 3. Thereupon, through the. cycle stop. power .mechanism `10:6,.current supply to motor1 |051. is automatically cut olf and the rnechanism-cornesvto.

rest. after havingcompleted its described cycle .of weight recording action. i

In the. above described series of operationsfat tention is particularly called to the improvement wherein no looseness can enter into thecoopera-v tive action. of feeler element l0 and type segment 34 because of the constant and .complete take vup of any play which might be present between the teeth of rack 3U and gear 33. The pull of spring 55 on gear 33 forces the teeth of the latter al- Ways toward the left in Figs. 1 and 6 and the same working surface of some gear tooth is always thrust into contact with the same surface of its corresponding rack tooth because the thrust of feeler l0 toward the left is constantly opposed either by crossrod 52, between recording operations, or by so-me step on the wheels 23 or 24 during the recording operation. When wear occurs between gear teeth on rack and segment and when spring 55 functions automatically to take up backlash resulting from this wear, nuts 3i, 32 afford means to realign type 35 in a manner to compensate for such Wear. The H-shaped cross sec-- tion of the feeler head I9 shown in Fig. 8 renders the step engaging blade 20 rigid and incapable of accidental deflection upward or downward relative to the disc step that is nrst encountered in the movement of the feelers toward the notched discs.

Other features of improvement reside in the frictionless action of the freely rotatable guide wheels 44 upon the racks which they guide. These wheels hold the racks Sli down into full mesh with the teeth on gears 33. `The enlarged heads or flanges 45 provide side thrust for the racks with less friction than would result from immovable slide bearings. The expedient of arranging the vlong vertical link l2 to move lengthwise for transva horizontally deep printing station between platen 18 and ribbon 9D of maximum plan area for accommodating large record blanks. As thus accomplished, there is occasioned no increase in the space that would be required to contain the other essential parts of the complete recording apparatus alone.

It will occur to tho-se skilled in the art that the guide wheel heads 45 may be composed of separate collar-like parts instead of integral with barrels 44, and that many other changes in the details of construction can be made without departing from the principles of construction and operation that give rise to the advantages which have been explained. Therefore, the following claims will be understood as intended to cover all substitutes and equivalents for the exact constructions shown herein which fall fairly within their terms.

I claim:

1. In recording apparatus, the combination of, an apparatus support frame, a type carrying segment pivotally mounted on said frame for swing-- ing movement, a guideway on said frame, an elongated feeler element slidable lengthwise in said guideway, stops variably stationed to be sensed by said feeler element, gearing operatively associating said segment with said element for transmitting motion therebetween, and resilient means operatively connected to said segment in a manner to urge said segment to advance said element by means of said gearing into contact with one of said stops.

2. In recording apparatus, the combination of, an apparatus support frame, a. type carrying segment pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement, a guideway on said frame, an elongated feeler element slidable lengthwise in said guideway, stops variably stationed to be sensed by said feeler element, a gear rack on said feeler element, spur gear teeth on said type carrying segment meshing with said rack, and resilient means connected to said segment in a manner to urge said spur gear teeth constantly against the meshing teeth of said gear rack in a manner to take up play in at least one direction therebetween, together with at least one guide wheel rotatably supported to turn about a. fixed axis and to roll against a surface ofthe said gear rack opposite the said gear teeth of the type segment, thereby to maintain said rack at a constant and predetermined depth of mesh with said gear teeth.

OSWALD S. CARLISS. 

